Baffle plate for use in tube type heat exchangers



Dec. 11, 1951 J. E. WEIKS 2,577,832

BAFFLE PLATE FOR USE IN TUBE TYPE HEAT EXCHANGERS Filed May 29, 1947 Patented Dec. 11, 1951 BAFFLE PLATE FOR USE IN TUBE TYPE HEAT-EXCHANGERS" John Weiks, Seattle, Wash.-

Application May 29, 1947, Serial No. 751,203

This invention relates to bafile plate means for use in a tube type heat exchanger and my present invention is in the nature of an improvement over the'bafile plate means disclosed in my copending patent application Serial No. 596,273, filed May 28, 1945, now Patent No. 2,513,124.

An object of this invention is to provide a baflle plate having resilient edge portions shaped so that they will maintain close contact with the walls of a housing in which they are installed irrespective of irregularities in said housing wall.

Another object is to provide a bafile plate in which the capacity of the edge portions thereof to maintain close contact with the walls of a housing will not be destroyed by repeatedly re moving the baiile and tube assembly by which it is carried from and replacing the same in the housing.

Another object is to provide a baflle plate which will not wear a housing in which it is installed when subjected to vibration.

A further object is to provide a baflie plate of resilient metal having curved edge portions adapted to contact and conform to the shape of the walls of a housing in which the baflle is installed.

The bafile plate herein disclosed is well adapted for use in water coolers for marine engines where the cooler is subjected to constant vibration when. the engine is running but obviously said bafiie plate can be advantageously used in other structures wherein a flow of liquid is to be controlled.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Figure l is a longitudinal medial section, with parts in elevation, showing a marine engine cooler having baffle plates constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on a larger scale than Fig. 1, taken substantially on broken line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentarydetached perspective view showing a baffie plate constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detached sectional view on a larger scale than the preceding figures showing an edge portion of this bafile plate in contact with a housing wall.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detached perspective view of a baflle plate of modified form.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

For the purpose of illustration I have shown this baflle plate as applied to a marine engine 2 Claims. (o1. 25

' tubes ll.

, 2 cooler in which fresh water is cooled by the use of salt water and the fresh water thus cooled is used for cooling the engine.

The marine engine cooler shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a shell or housing l0 having two tube sheets 6 and 'l fixedly connected with opposite ends thereof. Two bowl shaped manifolds 8 and 9 are secured to the respective tube sheets 6 and l at the two ends of the housing 10. A plurality of tubes I I extend lengthwise within the housing It and have their end portions extended through and sealed in the tube sheets in any suitable manner to provide water tight joints. A galvanic retarder I2 is positioned within the manifold 9 and a fioodplate l 3 is positioned within the man. ifold.8. Liquid inlet and outlet conduits l4 and I5 are connected with the respective manifolds 9 and 8 so that liquid of one temperature, such as cool sea water, canv be circulated through the The housing In is provided with a water inlet opening I6 and a water outlet opening ll so that another liquid such as warm fresh water, can be circulated through the housing l0 around the tubes l l.

A marine engine to be cooled can be connected by suitable hydraulic circuit means with the inletopening l6 and outlet openin ll. Preferably a receptacle [8 and a thermostatic control device l9 are included in the hydraulic circuit means so that liquid to be cooled can travel through thermostatic means I9, receptacle 18, opening l6, housing H], where it is cooled, and then out through opening l1.

Any desired number of baille plates made in accordance with this invention can be used in the housing I0 to direct the flow of liquid therethrough. Two baille plates 20 and 2! are shown in the housing Ill. Each bafile plate 29 and 2! has a resilient curved edge portion 22. Each curved edge portion 22 is preferably formed and shaped so that the curved outer wall portion thereof rests against and'makes contact with the wall of the housing In and the marginal edge 23 thereof is clear of the housing wall. This obviates contact of :asharp'corner of the bafile plate with the housing wall'and-provides'a bafile edge portion that will conform more closely to a housing wall of irregular shape than will a baille edge portion in which the edge proper engages the housing wall.

Each baille plate is recessed or cut away at one end, see Fig. 1, to provide a passageway 24 through which liquid may flow from one compartment to another in the housing I 0.

The baille plates 20 and 2| extend longitudinally of the housing I between the tubes H to direct liquid back and forth from one end to the other of said housing. To compensate for inequalities in longitudinal expansion and contraction between the bailie plates and 2| and the housing NJ the length of each baflle plate is preferably slightly less than the distance between the two is positioned in close contact with the adjacent tube sheet to prevent a leakageof. liquidbetween it and said tube sheet. The resilient dg'epor tions 22 of the baflles will bind tightly enough against the walls of the housing Ill to"- prevent longitudinal displacement of bailles installedas above described even under vibration and to insure that the non-recessed ends of saidbafliea will remain in contact with the adjacent tube sheet.

For use in marine engine coolers where the baflies are of small size ithas; been found satisfactory to make eachbattle of: asingle.- integral piece of twenty-eight gauge spring brass or Phos-' phor bronze. Bailles of larger. sizes can be moreeconomicallymade. as: shown in Fig. 5; by using; a less expensive metal *for the main body portion. of the baflle and riveting or otherwisesecuring. to opposite edges: thereof resilient curved edge members: 26. of: thin. metal that are shaped like the edge: portions 22 previously; described,

The. two resilient edge: portions 2 2; of. each; baflle extend. sidewise in the same direction. from the plane: of the: baill'e; When these. baflles: are: in.-:- stalled inn. housing in: they are preferably positioned so that the curve of. the edge. portions: 2'21 of. each bafile. conforms in a generaltway to. thecurve of that; portion or theihOtlSiIlg walL. with which they make contact; ThusinEig. 2 the edge portionsot thez baflle plate 20, whicln isabove the horizontal. center'plane. of the; housing [0; curve downwardly and; the; curved edge portions.- of. the.-

lower bafile 2!, which is below that p1ane,.curve' upwardly..

A housing lfliofsthe. type shown'in Figs. 1. and-2 is usuallysnoti accurately made' and the: walls. thereof aresomewhatsirregular. ire shape.. The

resilient, edge .portions' of; baflles-made' iir accordlance. with. this invention. will-conform fairly well.

to these .irregularitiesthus ,makingxa.v substantially liquid tight sealbetweenthe edges of the: baille This materially increases and the housing wall. the efficiency of a marine cooler of the type illustrated as. it tends to, prevent the. liquid fromby-passing. the edges. of thebaflles andtakinpm short course through thehousing. Ill.

The resilient edge portions of the? baflles. will maintain a constant. and even pressure-against the side walls of the'housing and .evenwhen the l l isreduced toa The baflies and tube assembly can repeatedly be removed from and replaced in the housing l0 without impairing the efilciency of the baflles.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that changes can be made within the scope of the following claims.

I cl'ainr: I

1. In a heat exchanger; a-cylindricel'housing; fluid inlet and outlet means connected with said housing; tubes extending longitudinally of said housingrfluidinlet and outlet means connected with. saidtubes; a plane flat baille plate positioned parallel to and to one side of the axis ot'said housing and disposed between said tubes and. supportedby said tubes and having an end thereofspaced from an adjacent end wall of the housingsaid baflle cooperating in defining a path of flow in said housing; and integral curved resilient edgeswon said baille. plateresiliently and 'conformably'engaging' the cylindrical walls. of

saidhousing, thecurvature ofsaid resilient edges being toward the axis of the housing and con-- forming; in a general way to the curvature-ofthe portions of the cylindrical housing wall engaged thereby.

2. In: a heat'exchanger, a cylindrical housing; fluid inlet and outlet means connected with said housing; tubesextending longitudinally of said housing; fluid inlet and outlet means connected with: said tubes; plane flat resilient baiileplates in said housing positioned? to oneside ofv the axis of said housing; and disposed. between said; tubes and supported by said tube, portions of the ends of successive baflle'platesbeing alternately spaced from the end walls: of said: housing providing for a flow of liquid back and forth in the spaces between saidbaflle plates; and integral curved r'esilient lateral ed'ge portionsof. the same thicknes as said baflle plates provided. on said bailie'plates resiliently. and conformably engaging with the curved insidewalls of said housing; the curvature:ofsaidresilient edge Portions being toward the axis-or the housing and conforming ma general way to the curvature of the housing. walls and the extremities. of said curved. resilient edge portions being inturned sufllciently far: sov that: they are clear ofthe housingwall when the'outer REFERENCES- CITED The following references areof record in the file of this patent? v UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,689.910 Brocklebank- Oct. 30, 1928 1.801%;035: Potter -s Apr. 28-, 1931 

